Dead Letter Office 2008 Shiraz, South Australia
A vinous cocktail of Chambord, Creme Yvette, and Morello cherries. A viscous wine with a glass-and-teeth staining hue of carmine. Sweet cherry and mocha notes rise over the huge weight of …
syrah
Falesco 2009 Tellus, Lazio
Luxurious, like a velvet cushion of dark sweet fruit. The only fault is its perfection –round, sexy, slick perfection– which takes away some of the pleasure of drinking a bottle of …
Chateau Camplong 2002 “C de Camplong” Corbières
The modern Corbières style marries the freshness of Beaujolais with the fierceness of a Languedoc red. This is a strong example of the technique of using whole-berry fermentation in a Mediterranean …
Nimbus Estate 2006 Syrah “Single Vineyard,” Casablanca
A nose of super ripe, concentrated blackberry and plum, cigar smoke, cedar, grilled meat, and a touch of alcohol heat lead the way to a red-berry-fruit palate buttressed by fine-grained tannins, …
Katharina and Helmut Gangl 2003 Zweigelt
Velvety smooth nose, like a cross between the game of syrah and the smoke of Sangiovese, all of it brightened up nicely by ripe, red berry fruit. White pepper flavors take …
South American Wines
Where did you first discover the wines of South America? For me, it was years ago (2004, to be more or less precise) when the Wine School hosted a charity wine …
Domaine de Saumarez 2004 “Aalenien,” Coteaux du Languedoc
When the weather turns cold, rich reds from warmer climes are often best. And this one, a Syrah-Grenache blend, fits the bill perfectly. It shows exactly why the reds of Languedoc …
d’Arenberg 2004 “The Laughing Magpie” Shiraz/Viognier, McLaren Vale
Why does Arenberg sell this wine for so little? Why sell a bottle of wine for under $20 when so many people are happy to spend over $30? Even the critics …
Wine Reviews
Domaine du Coulet Cornas Terrasses du SerreA classic style, with minimal oak and blended from several slopes within Cornas. The traditional approach is quite evident on the palate. More delicate than …
Glaymond 2003 “Krause’s Berg” Zinfandel, Barossa Valley
Blueberries and spice and everything boozy and nice, right? I mean, that’s Zinfandel, isn’t it? Well, not always. Last weekend during a wine class, we tasted a most unusual Zinfandel–the Glaymond …
Feudo Maccari 2005″ReNoto” Sicilia
Sicily is developing a reputation as the “California” of Italian wine, a region where ambiguous regulations allow winemakers latitude regarding production and freedom to experiment.The inclusion of non-Italian grapes to the …
Netflix & Rosé
The other night, from the comfort of my couch and in the presence of Michael Scott, the magnificently offensive boss on “The Office,” I found myself knocked out by a cabernet …
Domaine Hauts Chassis 2007 “Les Galets” Crozes Hermitage
It is rare to find an outstanding Northern Rhone wine for $20. That makes this delicious syrah a great find. It drinks more like a Hermitage than its often lesser Croze …
Dominio del Plata 2006 “Crios de Susana Balbo,” Mendoza
There’s nothing terribly new about Argentina, but the blend here might be unfamiliar: Syrah (which you know) and Bonarda (which you might not). But for $12.99 in PA right now, it’s …
Enrico Santini 2005 “Poggio Al Moro” Bolgheri
See if this sounds familiar. Someone touts or perhaps even gives you a high-priced Super Tuscan, maybe a bottle with a recognizable name. Or you’re at a big-time tasting, stop at …
Mas Donis 2003 Barrica, Montsant
From the Capcanes cooperative in the Montsant region of Catalonia, this straightforward blend of 80% old vines Garnacha and 20% Syrah is a deep purple color that thins out to light …